The Virginia Department of Transportation broke ground on its Hampton Roads Express Lanes (HREL) Norfolk Segment 1B Project on Sept. 18.
The project will add a part-time Express Lanes option from east of Interstate 264 to Tidewater Drive in the westbound direction and from Tidewater Drive to Northampton Boulevard in the eastbound direction along approximately seven miles of I-64 in Norfolk. Work also includes replacing, widening or rehabilitating 21 bridges, spot roadway widening, and the installation of tolling gantries, overhead signs and noise barriers.
The ceremony highlighted the financial partnership that most recently resulted in a federal Transportation Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (TIFIA) loan of up to $310.2 million supporting the Norfolk Segment 1B Project and other investments advancing the Hampton Roads Express Lanes network.
“As we build an Express Lanes system designed to provide motorists with another choice for more reliable travel, we are also modernizing and extending the useful life of the infrastructure that makes those trips possible every day,” Virginia Secretary of Transportation Nick Donohue said. “The Norfolk Segment 1B Project allows us to make both of those investments at the same time, improving how this corridor serves Hampton Roads today while helping preserve it for the future.”
Earlier this year, the department awarded a $389 million design-build contract for the project. Construction soon will begin and is expected to be completed in late 2029. The future HREL Norfolk Segment 1B will become part of a planned continuous 45-mile high-occupancy toll Express Lanes network along I-64.